# 有始无终

yǒu shǐ wú zhōng

Begin something but fail to carry it through

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Have a beginning but no ending

**Traditional Chinese:** 有始無終

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Describe an unfinished undertaking or inconsistent follow-through.

Changing a plan for a good reason differs from habitual abandonment.

## The image & its use

A start creates momentum and expectations, but the expression points to an ending that never arrives. It criticizes efforts that stop before the intended result without a sufficient reason. A notebook begun eagerly and soon forgotten can illustrate the pattern. The useful lesson is follow-through rather than rigid attachment to every plan. Sometimes new information justifies stopping. State why the work remained unfinished so the phrase does not dismiss a sensible decision to change direction.

## Examples

这本练习册又只做了几页，真是有始无终。

### Traditional Chinese

這本練習冊又只做了幾頁，真是有始無終。

zhè běn liàn xí cè yòu zhī zuò le jǐ yè ， zhēn shì yǒu shǐ wú zhōng 。

Once again only a few pages were done; the effort was not carried through.

她提醒自己做事不要有始无终。

### Traditional Chinese

她提醒自己做事不要有始無終。

tā tí xǐng zì jǐ zuò shì bú yào yǒu shǐ wú zhōng 。

She reminds herself to finish what she starts.

这个活动不能有始无终，要安排收尾。

### Traditional Chinese

這個活動不能有始無終，要安排收尾。

zhè ge huó dòng bù néng yǒu shǐ wú zhōng ， yào ān pái shōu wěi 。

The activity needs a proper conclusion rather than stopping halfway.

先设定小目标，减少有始无终的情况。

### Traditional Chinese

先設定小目標，減少有始無終的情況。

xiān shè dìng xiǎo mù biāo ， jiǎn shǎo yǒu shǐ wú zhōng de qíng kuàng 。

Set modest goals first to improve follow-through.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1133&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E6%9C%89%E5%A7%8B%E7%84%A1%E7%B5%82)

## Keep exploring

- [有条不紊 yǒu tiáo bù wěn Proceed in an orderly, methodical way ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/you-tiao-bu-wen)

- [有志竟成 yǒu zhì jìng chéng Determined effort can achieve a goal ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/you-zhi-jing-cheng)

- [愚公移山 yú gōng yí shān Persist through an enormous challenge ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/yu-gong-yi-shan)

- [余音绕梁 yú yīn rào liáng A beautiful sound seems to linger ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/yu-yin-rao-liang)

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